The emerging field of molecular electronics has made considerable recent progress in the development of molecular-scale electronics components and sensors, but the need for templating and patterning at the molecular scale is a major challenge. One approach is the use of DNA-based nanotechnology, which seeks to engineer synthetic DNA polymers to encode information necessary for realization of desired structures or processes on the molecular level.
In addition, there is considerable interest in DNA-functionalized nanotubes with proposed applications that include use as gene delivery vehicles in DNA-assisted separation and assembly of carbon nanotubes, and in nanotube-based DNA sensing and separations. In previous prior art methods, individual DNA molecules were attached to a substrate composed of a second material.
In one such prior art method, the DNA was attached to a nanotube composed of a second material. In one example, DNA-functionalized nanotube membranes have been used wherein DNA is attached to a nanotube membrane that may be composed of gold or carbon. However, these nanotubes only have DNA molecules in selected locations of the nanotube, thereby limiting the effectiveness of the nanotubes.
In another prior art aspect, a self-assembling superstructure is composed of DNA tiles. Double- or triple-crossover tiles modified with thiol-containing double-stranded DNA stems projecting out of the tile plane have been developed and used as basic building blocks. However, these methods are complex and still may not result in a DNA nanotube composed entirely or predominantly from DNA.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a system and method for forming nanotubes composed entirely or predominantly from DNA. It would also be beneficial to provide a template synthesis method of forming DNA nanotubes that enable the DNA nanotubes to be composed entirely or predominantly from DNA.